While most Dodger fans have been closely watching their beloved team climb back into the NL West race and now find themselves only one game back of the hated Giants, there is another Dodgers team that is enjoying tremendous success as well.

On Saturday night the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes won their ninth game of the second half (out of 10) behind yet another brilliant pitching performance by 23-year-old right hander Lindsey Caughel.

In his last 13 innings of work Lindsey Caughel has allowed only one run.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Caughel allowed only three hits in seven shutout innings in Saturday night’s 3-2 win over the Inland Empire 66ers. He tied his season-high eight strike outs while walking only one in front of 3,162 at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino. It was the third time that Caughel has gone seven innings this season and the eighth time he has gone more than five innings in his nine outings.

“I just built upon my last start really, throwing all four of my pitches for strikes and getting ahead in the count,” said Caughel after the game. “My slider was back to where it needed to be tonight and was a strikeout pitch to both lefties and righties. I was able to get a lot of quick outs with my two-seam fastballs to the lefties.”

Caughel needed to pitch well as the 66ers strong pitching staff held the Quakes to only three runs (one earned) on five hits. A fielders choice RBI by Chris Jacobs and a throwing error by 66ers first baseman Dennis Raben in the top of the first inning would give Caughel and the Quakes an early 2-0 lead.

The Quakes added a huge (unearned) insurance run in the seventh inning on an error by 66ers second baseman Sherman Johnson. That run proved to be the game-winner after Quakes reliever Daniel Tillman allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth on back-to-back doubles by 66ers shortstop Jose Rondon and designated hitter Wade Hinkle, and Quakes closer Rob Rogers allowed a solo home run to center fielder Mark Shannon in the bottom of the ninth. Rogers did, however, strike out the side to secure the win for Caughel while picking up his fourth save of the season and fourth in the last 10 days.

Caughel missed five starts earlier this season with a strained oblique; otherwise he would most likely be leading all Quakes starters in just about every pitching category – a starting rotation that consists of a number one and number two draft pick and one of the most highly ranked pitchers in the minor leagues.

With the win Caughel improves his record to 4-3 while lowering his ERA to 3.54 – second to only Julio Urias (3.44) among all Quakes starters. He is now tied with Urias for the team lead with his 1.25 WHIP among all Quakes starters.

Although the Quakes are off to a great 9-1 start to the second half of the season, they cannot let up – not even a little. All but 12 of their remaining 59 games are against Cal League South rivals and they currently lead the High Desert Mavericks by only three games, with the Lake Elsinore Storm only four games back.